BOE moves to restore WGIs

The State Board of Education has moved to restore within grade increases for Public School System employees, saying the yearly five percent increase in personnel’s salary is long overdue.

With or without the passage of the CNMI Fiscal Year 2001 budget, BOE Vice Chair Roman Benavente said the board has opted to push through with the WGI rollback to assist hardworking PSS employees who have survived the past two years without receiving such incentive.

Mr. Benavente added the funds will be sourced out of PSS’ $32.8 million personnel allotment.

The board has given Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos the flexibility to oversee the implementation of the increase based on the amount of resources available within the system, according to the vice chair.

“We need to do something about this because this is long awaited by PSS employees. They deserve this,” said Mr. Benavente.

BOE members have been pushing to bring back the yearly salary increase to recognize the many PSS employees who work hard throughout the year.

Other government agencies have also had to forego the WGIs for a period of eight months or more due to lack of funds though not as long as the employees of the school system.

Meanwhile, Dr. Inos has yet to determine the mechanics of the proposed WGI revival, according to Mr. Benavente.

This, he underscored, the commissioner will soon address depending on available funds.

Earlier, PSS conducted minor modifications to its proposed $45 million budget request for FY 2001, reassessing the number of full time equivalents it has acquired and released since the start of the ongoing fiscal year.

The school system is currently looking into several options, devising some alternatives in case it has to endure another year under a continuing resolution.

The PSS Budget office said the agency is looking at the possibility of compensating employees who have worked for the system for years.

Faced with depleting resources, the school system is even contemplating on arranging such an initiative by using internal funds.

But the system is resolved in maintaining the FY 2001 budget at $45 million. The amount, they said, is enough to retain existing educational programs, student population on all 16 schools, payroll expenses and others.

The school system this year has been allotted an additional $5.17 million from last year’s budget to cover expenses for maintaining schools. (Marian A. Maraya)